Flashing gas-sign.



W. CLAYTON-JOEL. FLASHING GAS SIGN. APPLIUATION IILED SEPT. 20, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

G I 2mm/9 commun x-L/Nunnlu-u cp.. WASI uNaToN. u. cy

V being omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical longi- WILLIAM CLAYTON-J OEL, 0FMELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

FLASHING GAS-SIGN.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led September 20, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 650,468.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CLAYTON- JOEL, a subject of the King ofGreat Britlene, coal gas, or other gaseous fuel signs,

and the invention has for its primary object a simple and efficientapparatus of this character which will not be liable to get out of orderand `which will automatically Operate intermittently and atpredetermined intervalsby successive charges of gas admitted to theburner or burners, such charges being ignited by a small light that is.kept constantly burning and the intervals of comparative light anddarkness being capable of being shortened and lengthened at will.

The invention also has for its object an improved flashing gas signwhich will be certain and positive in its action and composed ofcomparatively few parts of simple construction that can be cheaplymanufactured and readily assembled, and not liable to get out of order.And the invention also i aims to generally improve this class of devicesand to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions,arrangements, and combinations of parts that I shall hereinafter fullydescribe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention,

. reference is to be had to the following description and accompanyingdrawings, in wh1ch:-

Figure 1 1s a perspective v1ew of one form or. embodiment of myinvention, em-

ploying a single burner. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve support andcasing of the apparatus, the cover thereof and the valve tudinalsectional view of the said casing with the cover and valve and itsco-related parts in position. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of theieXible gas bag of the device. Fig. y5 is a perspective view of anotherembodiment including two burners; and Fig. 6 is a detail plan view ofthe valve support of said embodiment without the cover and valve.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in all the views of thedrawing by like reference numerals.

The invention includes a preferably flexible gas supply pipe 3, leadingfrom a main (not shown) controlled by a suitable cock, and leading tothe supply nipple of a valve casing hereinafter referred to andpreferably flexible pipe 4, leads from said casing to a burner 5, and acorresponding pipe 6, leads from said casing to a bag hereinafterspecically described.

The apparatus also includes a stand or support which embodies a base-bar7, and spaced standards S, connected thereto, the upper ends of saidstandards supporting an axis rod 9, provided at its ends with sleeves10. A disk 11, is supported upon the basebar 7, said disk being formedwith an aperture in which is fitted one end of a tube connecting withthe lower end of the pipe 6; and secured to said disk is a collapsibleand extensible or infiatable bag 12, made of leather or any otherflexible material or materials, or the same in combination.

The lower portion or rim of the bag is secured to the periphery of thedisk in any desired. way, as by an encircling band formed` withoutstanding ends through which a clamping bolt or screw 15, extends.

A main weight 16, rests upon the bag 12,'

and any desired number of detachable weights, as 17, may be restedthereon also, being applied or removed to accommodate the appliancetovarying pressures of gas.

A link 18, is connected at its lower end to the bag through theinstrumentality of the main weight 16, the upper end of said link beingpivotally connected by a pin 19, to the base 20, of `a valve support orcasing that is pivotally mounted intermediate of its end to tilt uponthe rod 9, before mentioned. The link 18, in the present instance isadjustably connected in relation to the axis of the valve-casing betweendepending lugs 21 formed with a plurality of openings into any one ofwhich the pivot pin 19, may be inserted. By this means the duration oflight and darkness may be varied.

Protruding from one side of the valve casing is a supply nipple 23,connected to the pipe 3, a nipple 24, connected to the pipe lvalvecasing.

The base 20, is formed on its upper surface with laterally spaced lugs29, in which a pivot pin 30, is secured, said pin supporting av tiltingor rocking valve 32, provided if' with a flexible bottom lining orseating 33, said bottom being oppositely beveled from its middle andadapted to alternately close upon the ports 26 and 27, as the valve isrocked in one direction or the reverse.

` The said valve is provided on its upper surface with a guideway 34,for a reciprocating weightor ball 35. To distinguish them, one end 40,of the valve is called the inlet end, and the other end 41, the outletend.

In the side of the burner port 27, a bypass 44, is formed, whereby asmall quantity of gas may pass to the burner, maintaining a small lightwhich ignites each fresh charge. In addition to, or substitution for,this auxiliary by-pass, a burner by-pass from the main gas pipe maycommunicate with each burner.

In that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6,instead of one burner being operated by each valve, two

burners are controlled. To this end an additional burner nipple 36, isprovided, to which an additional flexible burner pipe 37, attached tosaid burner, is connected. Close to the port 26, an additional burnerport 38,

Y the valve-casing through the-inlet port 26.

It passes from the valve-casing through the port 28, and the pipe 6, anddistends or inflates the bag. As the bag rises, it lifts the outlet endof the valve-casing through the instrumentality of t-he main weight 16,and

connecting rod or link 18, and when the casing is tilted to a sufficientdegree the weight 35, will move longitudinally of the valve and Yrockthe latter, thereby closing the gasinlet port 26. At the same time, theport 27, will be opened, as is manifest, and the gas will pass throughthe pipe 4, to the burner, while the weight 16, will compress the bagand the gas in the bag will be forced back through the pipe 6, andthrough the port 28, into the valve-casing. It will continue to escapethrough the port 27, and feed the burner until all t-he gas is forcedfrom the bag by the weight 16, and the bag is deflated. As the weight16, descends, the valve l casing is tilted in the reverse direction, andthe weight 35, moves back to the original position described. The lightbecomes extinguished and a fresh charge of gas entering the valve casingreinflates the bag and the same operation is repeated.

The action of the two burner apparatus is similar to the one burnerapparatus, save that the gas passes from the valve-casing through theadditional port 38, the additional nipple 36, and pipe 37, to theadditional burner. Vhen the inlet end 40, of the rocking valve 32, iselevated, the gas passes direct from the valve casing to the port 38,and the additional burner, and as soon as it falls the gas is cut olf.The auxiliary by-pass 50, maintains a small light as with the singleburner apparatus.

l/Vith this invention, a flash light or flash lights is or are producedwhich is or are constant and positive in action. To regulate thealternations of light and darkness, it is only necessary to move thepivot pin 19 nearer to or farther away from the axis 9, of the valvecasing. Very little shock is communicated to the mantle, if such beused, since the auxiliary by-pass always maintains a slight glow andenables the incoming charge of gas to be gradually lighted.

The casing formed by the base 20, and cover 31, not only constitutes thesupport for the valve 32, but also constitutes the burner supplychamber, while the inflatable bag 12, constitutes the receiving chamberof the device.

While the accompanying drawing discloses what I believe to be thepreferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be madein v the construction, arrangement, and proportions, of the parts,without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let-- ters Patent is A1. An apparatus of the characterdescribed, including an inflatable receiving chamber, a tiltable burnersupply chamber, having an outlet; an operative connection between theinflatable receiving chamber and the interior thereof, a burner pipealso com# munie-ating with the interior thereof, a rock- ,ing valvecarried by said chamber and adapted to rock alternately to cut off oneor the other of said pipes, an inflatable receiving chamber, anoperative connection between the receiving chamber and the supply lchamber, and a pipe establishing communil cation between the interiorVof the receiving chamber and the interior of the supply l chamber.

3. An apparatus of the character described, including an inflatablereceiving chamber, a movable supply chamber having communicationtherewith, the chamber being formed with gas inlet and outlet ports,

a rocking valve mounted in the supply chamber and adapted toautomatically engage the respective ports upon the upward and downwardmovement of the supply chamber, a link operatively connecting theinflatable receiving chamber with the supply chamber, and means foradjusting the position of the link at varying distances relative to theaxis of the supply chamber.

4. An apparatus of the character described, including an inflatablereceiving chamber, a burner supply chamber formed `with gas inlet andoutlet ports and having scribed, including an inflatable bag, a valvecasing, a support upon which said valve casing is mounted to tilt, alink connection between the inflatable bag and said support, the valvecasing being formed with gas inlet and outlet ports, and havingComunication with the interior of the bag, said outlet port being formedwith a by-pass, and a rocking valve carried by said casing and adaptedto alternately open and close said ports.

6. An apparatus of the character described, including an inflatable bag,a tilting valve casing operatively connected to said valve, a rockingvalve mounted in said casing, the casing being formed with ports adaptedto be alternately closed by said valve, the valve being provided with alongitudinally extending guideway and a ball weight mounted for freemovement in said guideway for the purpose specified.

7 An apparatus of the character described, comprising a stand includingup rights, an axis rod carried by said uprlghts, a valve casing tiltablymounted on said rod, an inflatable bag carried by the stand andcommunicating with said valve casing, a weight resting on said bag, alink secured to said Weight and to the valve casing at one side of saidrod, the valve casing being formed with inlet and outlet ports, and ahrocking .valve mounted on said casing and having a bottom flexibleseating adapted to alternately close said ports.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CLAYTON-JOEL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN PHILLIPS, GEORGE A. MCREN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner ofy Patents, Washington, D. C.

